Posted by fionam on February 20, 2005, at 6:56:44
In reply to Re: bad dreams, posted by AMY II on February 19, 2005, at 21:46:54
Thanks, Amy. Glad to hear the zanex helps. Side effects? Might investigate. My therapist has just suggested increasing the Lex; so far experiencing deeper drowsiness and desperation to get back into bed throughout the day. Wondering how I can continue working f/t and studying at this rate.
Found out, by research on the intranet, that Lex can cause significant weight gain (I have gained c.10kg, though I don't exercise enough, admittedly). Very angry about this as, for three years, I fought going back onto antidepressants precisely because of past experience of weight gain, only to be told by the psychiatrist that Lexapro does not cause weight gain. So I went ahead and took it. It does help with the depression, though but if I can't lose the weight, it will all be counterproductive. Considerably annoyed; guess I shouldn't be so ready to trust health professionals! Has anyone else had weight gain and (fingers crossed here...) success at weight LOSS with Lexapro?
At least the bad dreams appear to have abated a little. Still dreaming, but not as horrible.
> > I have looked for a thread on dreams (though probably in the wrong places!) but couldn't see one.
> > Wondered if anyone else diagnosed with clinical depression has similar experience of bad dreams. I have been taking Lexapro (15mg) for about 14 months and the depression seems to be returning. On top of that - or possibly the cause/result of that - I'm having at least one bad dream every night (I counted 5 in one night last week). This began about a month to six weeks ago. Jumbled images, recurring feelings of anxiety, fear. Sometimes quite nasty. I wake up feeling exhausted and depressed and cannot shake the dream/s from my head all day.
> > My therapist has asked me to write the dreams down, but after a while I just gave up as there were too many and I found it made me more depressed.
> > Dread going to sleep now because of the dreams. The tiredness in the mornings is interfering with my life and makes getting up for work a big problem. Read an article recently on the internet on the connection between depression - bad dreams - mental exhaustion.
> > Has anyone tried anything that worked to ease the dreams? Is such a thing possible? Have just started self-hypnosis/relaxation to try and stop the dreams. Anyone done anything similar?
> > Thanks.
>
>
> Hey there,
>
> I can tell you that I have weird nightmares and I have an acute anxiety disorder. If I take zanex before I go to bed, it seems to make my dreams normal. Sometimes I won't dream at all. But I know what you mean by exhausted and can't shake the thoughts. I hate it and it sucks. Your not alone. Hope this helps.
>
poster:fionam
thread:457073
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050217/msgs/460721.html